"Canada must take this opportunity to demonstrate to the world that we have learned from our own colonial past and become a true champion of peace. Carney must immediately retract his remarks, apologize, and commit to a foreign policy rooted in justice not unconditional support for occupation and apartheid."
Re: "Mark Carney must not allow Canada to be a mere spectator in the Middle East" (June 26, 2025)
Dear Editor,
Lloyd Axworthy rightly highlights Canada’s historical role as a principled advocate for peace and multilateralism in the Middle East. Unfortunately, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent assertion that a future Palestinian state must be “Zionist” betrays that legacy and signals a dangerous departure from Canada’s traditional commitment to a just two-state solution.
This demand is not only offensive but fundamentally undermines Palestinian self-determination. Zionism, as a political ideology, has been central to the dispossession and oppression of Palestinians for decades. To insist that Palestinians adopt the ideology of their oppressors as a precondition for statehood is absurd and unjust. The International Court of Justice has affirmed that Palestinian self-determination is an inalienable right—one that cannot be conditional on the approval of an occupying power.
Carney’s morally indefensible remarks also mark a sharp break from Canada’s longstanding diplomatic position. No previous Canadian government—not even Stephen Harper’s—has ever demanded Palestinian acceptance of Zionism as a prerequisite for statehood. By doing so, Carney is eroding Canada’s credibility as an honest broker and aligning himself with the most extreme elements of Israel’s far-right government.
If Carney continues down this path of refusing to impose sanctions, an arms embargo, or meaningful pressure on Israel, he will not only alienate the millions of Canadians who voted for him, but may also face legal consequences for complicity in Israel’s ongoing violations of international law.
Canada must take this opportunity to demonstrate to the world that we have learned from our own colonial past and become a true champion of peace. Carney must immediately retract his remarks, apologize, and commit to a foreign policy rooted in justice not unconditional support for occupation and apartheid.
Sincerely,
Nikki Mutch